About xAI

xAI’s mission is to create AI systems that can accurately understand the universe and aid humanity in its pursuit of knowledge. Our team is small, highly motivated, and focused on engineering excellence. This organization is for individuals who appreciate challenging themselves and thrive on curiosity. We operate with a flat organizational structure. All employees are expected to be hands-on and to contribute directly to the company’s mission. Leadership is given to those who show initiative and consistently deliver excellence. Work ethic and strong prioritization skills are important. All engineers are expected to have strong communication skills. They should be able to concisely and accurately share knowledge with their teammates.

Datacenter Commissioning Technician

Location: Palo Alto, CA & Memphis, TN

About the Role

xAI is seeking a skilled Datacenter Commissioning Technician to lead the commissioning of critical infrastructure systems for our state-of-the-art datacenter in Memphis, Tennessee. In this role, you will ensure the seamless integration and optimal performance of systems supporting xAI’s AI supercomputing clusters. You will conduct thorough testing, validation, and troubleshooting of server, storage, compute, and network hardware to achieve operational excellence. Working closely with mechanical, electrical, and network engineering teams, you will bring high-density computing environments online, ensuring reliability and efficiency for AI workloads. The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, has extensive experience in datacenter commissioning, and thrives in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment at xAI.

This role requires up to 50% travel to support vendor coordination, multi-site operations in Tennessee and California, and project requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the planning, execution, and documentation of commissioning activities for datacenter systems, including electrical, mechanical, cooling, and fire suppression, to ensure operational readiness for AI workloads.
• Perform functional testing, system integration testing, and performance validation to confirm equipment meets xAI’s design specifications and operational requirements.
• Coordinate with vendors, contractors, and internal teams to resolve issues during commissioning phases and facilitate smooth handover to operations.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive commissioning plans, checklists, and reports, ensuring compliance with industry standards, safety regulations, and xAI’s performance goals.
• Troubleshoot and debug complex systems, including servers, networking equipment, and infrastructure, identifying root causes and implementing corrective actions to minimize downtime and optimize mean time to detect (MTTD) and mean time to repair (MTTR).
• Support the optimization of datacenter infrastructure for energy efficiency, reliability, and scalability to meet the demands of xAI’s AI supercomputing clusters.
• Conduct risk assessments and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives to enhance commissioning processes for future datacenter builds.
• Perform rack and stack tasks, including staging racks, cabling, powering up equipment, and handing off hardware to the provisioning team for AI workload allocation.
• Manage warehouse inventory and assets using xAI’s internal applications, including tracking spare parts and decommissioning hardware as needed.
• Handle labeling, troubleshooting, and repair of fiber/optics and power supply cabling to ensure system integrity during commissioning.
• Create and maintain detailed documentation of commissioning tasks and standard operating procedures.
• Manage and resolve commissioning-related tickets using cross-functional tools like Jira, collaborating with relevant teams to ensure timely resolutions.
• Provide feedback to engineering teams during initial construction and commissioning phases to improve future datacenter designs.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience (e.g., high school diploma with 8+ years of relevant experience).
• 3+ years of experience in datacenter commissioning or facilities engineering in high-tech or mission-critical environments.
• Strong knowledge of datacenter systems, including power distribution, HVAC, cooling technologies, backup systems, and structured cabling (copper/fiber).
• Experience with commissioning tools, software, and protocols (e.g., BMS, SCADA, or similar).
• 3+ years of experience troubleshooting and debugging servers, storage, compute, and network hardware in a datacenter setting.
• Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, schematics, and specifications.
• Physical Requirements:
• Ability to lift up to 50 lbs unassisted, stand for extended periods, and work in datacenter environments with noise, temperature variations, and confined spaces.
• Comfortable working at heights up to 50 feet with appropriate safety gear.
• Availability to work evenings, weekends, and on-call as needed for commissioning activities and critical events.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% for vendor meetings, multi-site support, or project requirements.
• Subject to pre-employment drug testing, random drug and alcohol testing, and pre-employment and annual background checks.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience commissioning large-scale datacenters or mission-critical facilities.
• Familiarity with high-performance computing (HPC) or AI infrastructure, including liquid cooling systems and high-density racking for AI workloads.
• Certifications such as CDCP, CDCE, or PE license.
• Proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g., Agile) and tools like Jira.
• Strong Linux skills, including navigating directories, manipulating files, configuring permissions, installing packages, managing processes, and basic troubleshooting.
• Experience with bash or other scripting languages for automation or commissioning tasks.
• Proven experience leading datacenter commissioning projects and managing spare parts inventory.
• Proficiency in inventory management, with Oracle experience as a plus.
• Excellent prioritization, time management, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to perform under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Passion for learning new technologies and processes to advance xAI’s mission of accelerating human scientific discovery.

Compensation

$100,000 - $150,000 USD

xAI is an equal opportunity employer.

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